SAS on-site clinic lowers worker ER visits

Employer interest in on-site health clinics is growing and research indicates the clinics can help lower employee absences, increase use of wellness programs and create a more engaged workforce. And a new study shows a drop in emergency room visits may be an added boon from on-site clinic use.

Employees at software analytics firm SAS were significantly more likely to need emergency department care or hospitalization compared to those employees who use the company’s on-site healthcare clinics for primary care, according to the company’s ongoing, multiphase trial of employee use of its on-site clinics. SAS, partnering with Duke University, recently published data from a Phase II study on the connection between on-site health care clinic and positive health outcomes.